Abby Brammell

Take two: Mascherano got stuck in during the first leg at Anfield and the midfielder is determined to finish the job in Romania


Javier Mascherano feels a successful Europa League campaign can help Liverpool finish in the top four of the Premier League.

Europe's second club competition has plenty of critics but Argentina midfielder Mascherano is paying no attention to the doubters.

The Reds are in Romania to defend a 1-0 lead over Unirea Urziceni in the second leg of their last-32 tie and Mascherano believes a winning run in the competition can only help Rafa Benitez's side qualify for the Champions League next time around

He told Liverpool's website: 'We have the confidence to do well. We had a good run before the Arsenal game (1-0 defeat) when we went seven matches in a row without losing. We were playing good football and we had the belief to do well.

'We'll try to do our best to win this competition. This is the only trophy we have a chance of winning and so we'll have to think about doing our best.

'It's a really important game for us. It's important for us to go through and continue in the competition.

'The good news is that we have key players like Yossi (Benayoun) and Fernando (Torres) back now. They are going to be important to us as are all the players between now and the end of the season.'


source: dailymail